Elastomeric coin sorter

ABSTRACT

A LOW-COST COIN SORTER WHICH UTILIZES AN ELASTOMERIC MATERIAL TO SORT A PILE OF COINS INTO AN ORIENTATED POSITION WHERE EACH COIN CAN BE TRANSPORTED TO A DESIGNATED LOCATION. DRIVE BELTS, SORTING CURTAINS, AND ROLLS CONSTRUCTED OF AN ELASTOMERIC MATERIAL COOPERATE TO ALIGN EACH COIN AND TRANSPORT IT OUT OF A PILE OF COINS TO A PREDETERMINED RECEPTACLE.

NOV- 23, 1971 s. A. REDMAN ELASTOMERIC COIN SORTER Filed Nov. 5, 1969 D E m m T VO NA f T E T Vl- A mE s United States Patent O 3,621,854 ELASTOMERIC COIN SORTER Samuel A. Redman, Garden City, N.Y., assignor to The National Cash Register Company, Dayton, Ohio Filed Nov. 5, 1969, Ser. No. 874,205 Int. Cl. G07d 3/04 ILS. Cl. 133-3 H 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A low-cost coin sorter which utilizes an elastomeric material to sort a pile of coins into an orientated position where each coin can be transported to a `designated location. Drive belts, sorting curtains, and rolls constructed of an elastomeric material cooperate to align each coin and transport it out of a pile of lcoins to a predetermined receptacle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Prior coin sorters which have been developed for use With coin changers or as free-standing units have been extremely expensive due to involved intricate mechanisms and precision-tooled, finely-:balanced parts which must be kept in constant, close adjustment. In order to overcome these disadvantages, it is the primary object of this invention to provide a coin sorter which is simple in operation and construction and, therefore, low in `cost yet highly eiicient in sorting coins.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A coin sorter mechanism which includes a rst drive belt, aplurality of sorting curtains, and a roll, each composed of an elastomeric material for orientating a pile of coins into a line of single coins, and a second drive belt, also composed of an elastomeric material, for transporting the line of single coins to a mechanism for sorting the coins.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The figure is a perspective view of the coin sorter with portions broken away and sectioned out to provide a more detailed view of the sorter.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the figure, there is shown on overall view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Included in the coin sorter is a coin hopper 21 having a receptacle portion 22 connected to a lower chute portion 23. Rotatably mounted on the receptacle portion 22 are a pair of gate members 24, 25. The gate members are normally urged to a closed position by spring members (not shown). Also associated with the gate members is a microswitch (not shown), which closes upon the opening of the gate members.

The end of the chute portion 23 of the hopper 21 is positioned adjacent a transfer belt member 26. The belt 26 is supported and driven by a pair of drive rollers 27, 28. The drive rollers are operated through a conventional belt system (not shown) powered by the usual electric motor (not shown). The belt 26 is composed of a polyurethane-type material having a very high coeicient of friction on the order of .90 to .95. As will be explained more fully hereafter, this material is capable of holding coins deposited thereon in a stable condition while the belt is moving.

Mounted on a support member 30, and positioned adjacent to the transfer belt 26, are a pair of sorting curtains 31, 32, the ends of which touch the transfer belt 26. The curtains are composed of a polyurethane-type material of an extremely soft formulation (5 to l0 Shore A durometer) which also possesses a very high coefficient of friction, similar to that of the belt 26. Rotatably mounted adjacent the curtains 31, 32 is a roll 33, having thick walls composed of a type of elastomeric material for high compressibility. The material is of a very low durometer (10 to 20), with a coeicient of friction between .5 and .6. An example of a material that could be used in neoprene. The roll 33 is mounted above the transfer belt 26, so as to allow only single coins to pass under the roll. As shown by the arrow in the figure, the roll is operated clockwise while the top portion of the transfer -belt 26 moves from left to right as view ed in the figure. The roll operates at a very much slower speed than that of the transfer belt 26.

Positioned adjacent the end of the transfer belt 26 is a size-sorting coin chamber 34 having a slot 35 located in the to surface 36 of the chamber 34. Located within the chamber is a canted platform 37 having an edge portion 38, within which is located a number of slots 40, each having a different width, corresponding to the width of a particular coin. Located adjacent to the slots are a number of coin holders 41, 'which stack the coins as they drop through the slots.

The top surface 36 of the coin chamber 34 has a knife edge 42, which is positioned adjacent the transfer belt 26 in such a Way that the coins carried by the transfer belt 26 are deposited on the surface 36. A second transfer belt, 43, supported by a pair of drive rollers 44, is so positioned adjacent the surface 36 of the coin chamber that it moves continuously in a state of compression against the surface 36. The drive rollers 44 operate counter-clockwise. The transfer belt -43 is composed of a polyurethane-type material having a soft furmulation of 60 durometer. The transfer belt 43 moves at the same speed as that of the belt 26. Positioned adjacent the roll 33 and the transfer belt 43 are a pair of restricting wall members 45, 46, which force coins delivered by the transfer belt 26 into a single column to be engaged by the transfer belt 43.

In the operation of the coin sorter, the weight of the coin deposited in the hopper 21 opens the gate members 24, 25, thereby closing the microswitch (not shown), which initiates operation of the transfer belts 26 and 43 and the roll 33. The coins deposited in the hopper drop through the chute portion 23, to be deposited on the transfer belt 26. Due to the very high coeicient of friction of the polyurethane material of which the belt is composed, the coins cling to the belt. In order to allow only one single coin to be delivered to the coin holders, there are provided the curtains 31 and 32 and the roll 33. Any coins that are stacked upon each other upon engaging the curtains 31, 32 are separated due to the fact that the coeflicient of friction between the stacked coins is less than that of a top coin and the polyurethane curtains. The roll 33 acts as a fail-safe device for those coins still stacked after passing through the curtains 31, 32. Since the coeicient of friction of the roll 33 is much less than that of the transfer belt 26, coins stacked on coins driven by the belt 26 will be displaced and deposited on the belt 26. The roll 33 turns in a direction opposite to the direction of the transfer belt and at a much slower speed, approximately one third of the speed of the belt. The roll 33 is so positioned above the belt as to allow single coins to pass underneath without engagement.

As the coins are transported past the roll 33, they are forced into a single column by the restricting wall members 45 and 46 and are deposited on the top surface 36 of the coin chamber 34. The coins are thus engaged by the transfer belt 43. This engagement consists of a squeezing action by the belt on the coins against the surface 36. Since the surface 36 has a very low coefficient of friction, the belt 43 slides the coins towards the slot 35, where they drop onto the platform 37 and against the edge portion 38. Since the platform 37 is canted, each of the coins rolls along the edge portion 38 until it reaches one of the slots 40 which corresponds to its size, thereby dropping through the slot and into the associated coin holder 41, where the coins are stacked.

It is thus seen that, by the use of physical properties of the various materials utilized in the transfer belts 26, 43, the curtains 31, 32, and the roll 33, coins are sorted and stacked in a very simple and efficient manner. While certain materials have been suggested for use in this coin sorter, it is obvious that other materials (for example, rubber having similar physical properties) may be utilized. Instead of an elastomeric material, the roll 33 ,could be of a brush-type construction.

What is claimed is:

1. A coin sorter comprising (a) a first transfer belt for transporting coins deposited thereon, said transfer belt being composed of an elastomeric material having a high coefficient of friction;

(b) means to prevent stacked coins from being transported by said first transfer belt including a curtain member mounted adjacent said first transfer belt and adapted to engage any coin stacked on another coin, said curtain member being composed of an elastomeric material having a high coefficient of friction, but lower than the coefficient of friction of said transfer belt;

(c) deflecting means mounted adjacent said first transfer belt to engage coins on said transfer belt and channel them into a single column;

(d) a coin receptable positioned adjacent the end of said rst transfer belt and said deflecting means, said coin receptacle including a longitudinal surface portion to receive coins from said first transfer belt and containing an aperture;

(e) means positioned adjacent said aperture to sort and stack coins deposited on said aperture;

(f) and a second transfer belt mounted adjacent said deflecting means and engaging the longitudinal surface portion of said coin receptacle, said second transfer belt being composed of an elastomeric material having a high coefficient of friction, whereby coins deposited on said longitudinal surface portion by said first transfer belt are transported to said aperture by said second transfer belt.

2. The coin sorter of claim 1 which includes a rotating roll member composed of a highly compressible elastomeric material having a coefficient of friction much less than that of said first transfer belt, said roll member positioned adjacent said first transfer belt and adapted to engage any coin stacked on another coin, whereby a single layer of coins is transported by said first transfer belt.

3. A coin sorter comprising (a) a coin bin having a chute portion for transporting coins deposited in said bin;

(b) a first transfer belt mounted adjacent the end of said chute portion for transporting coins deposited in said coin bin, said transfer belt being composed of a polyurethane material having a high coefficient of friction;

(c) means to prevent stacked coins from being transported by said first transfer belt including a plurality of curtain members engaging said transfer belt to engage any coin stacked on another coin, said curtain members being composed of a polyurethane material having a coefficient of friction higher than said coins but lower than said first transfer belt;

(d) a neoprene roller mounted adjacent said curtain members and said transfer belt and adapted to engage any coin stacked on another coin, said roller having a coefficient of friction much less than that of said first transfer belt and operated at a speed lower than the speed of said transfer belt;

(e) a pair of oppositely located wall members having inturned edge portions mounted `adjacent the end of said first transfer belt to engage coins on said transfer belt and channel them into a single column;

(f) a coin receptacle positioned adjacent the end of said first transfer belt and said wall members and including a top horizontal surface portion to receive coins from said first transfer belt, said surface portion containing an aperture;

(g) means positioned beneath said aperture to sort and stack coins deposited in said aperture;

(h) and a second transfer belt mounted adjacent said coin receptacle and positioned to engage the top horizontal surface of said receptacle, said transfer belt being composed of a polyurethane material having a high coefficient of friction, whereby coins deposited on said top horizontal surface portion by said first transfer belt are transported to said aperture by said second transfer belt.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 454,653 6/1891 Kirkmeyer T33- 3.5 937,517 10/1909 Galligan 133-3 2,101,513 12/1937 Samuelson 133-3.6 3,125,102 3/1964 Bower 133-3 3,152,597 10/1964 `Rau 133-3 X 3,306,425 2/1967 Rapp 209-102 X ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner T. E. KOCOVSKY, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

